Despite its location in the heart of northern Virginian suburbs, few know about this wonderful garden oasis. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is part botanical garden, part sculpture garden (there are a number of striking sculptures around the grounds, part arboretum. There are pretty little ponds with lotuses and waterlillies, and other water plants growing in and […]
Virginia
Frederick County (VA) Photo Safari
Stonewall Jackson made Winchester his winter headquarters between November 1861 and March 1862. He was much beloved by the townspeople. Winchester’s historic homes and churches offergorgeous details such as this door knob. Historic Victorian homes such as this one fill the neighborhoods adjacent the oldest part of Winchester. Mount Hebron Cemetery holds four cemeteries, church […]
An Afternoon in Strasburg
For such a small town, there’s a surprising number of things to in Strasburg, VA. Here’s how we spent an afternoon exploring this quaint little town. The scenic and lovely Shenandoah River runs lazy along the town, offering a refreshing backdrop to the town. We started with lunch at Jaliscos, a neat little Mexican food […]
Late Fall Hike to Hone Quarry Waterfalls
The out-and-back hike up to the Hone Quarry Falls will take you just approximately 2.5 miles up a mountain, yielding some pretty glimpses of the ridges of mountains on the other side of a small gorge/valley to a pleasant falls area, an ideal area, had we timed it right, for a picnic listening to the […]
Hike to Dark Hollow Falls
IT sounds like an ominous thing, Dark Hollow Falls — there should be a ghost story or something associated with it, but I couldn’t find any mention of ghosts, nor how Dark Hollow Falls got its name, although I could well imagine how shady and dark the falls would be if the leaves still fluttered […]
Discovering Black and African American History in the Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley Black History Project developed several driving tours, two of which actually combine quite nicely into one driving tour, doable in a few hours. The combined driving tour takes you through scenic backroads in Rockingham and Shenandoah counties in the Shenandoah Valley. Ultimately, this is an exploration of history that rarely makes it […]
Book T Washington National Monument
“We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness, and selfishness.” ― Booker T. Washington, The Story of My Life and Work Booker T Washington was born into slavery, probably on April 18, 1856, as that’s the date that John Burroughs, who enslaved him, recorded the birth of a male […]
Pohick Bay Kayaking
Pohick Bay Regional Park is a Fairfax County regional park on Pohick Bay of the Potomac River. The park offers camping, hiking, a water park, boat launches for both canoes and kayaks (a place along the shoreline) and a boat ramp for motorized boats. Once you launch, head due north — or turn left after […]
Sherando Cliffs and Lake Hike
The Sherando Cliffs and Lakeside Loop Hike is a short hike — less than 2 miles for the entire loop — with minimal elevation gain (300 feet or less) that offers some pretty views, a pleasant leg-stretch climbing up the side of a mountain, and some gorgeous vistas of Sherando Lake itself. Sherando Lake Recreation […]
Scenic Drive Along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
The Skyline Drive – Blue Ridge Parkway together form an historic scenic drive that runs 574 miles through Virginia and North Carolina through the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachia. That time I almost lost my phone hanging out the window taking a photo along Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a […]
Octagon Mountain House: Nature is Art
I’d always wanted to live in an octagon shaped house, and when I saw the Octagon Mountain House on AirBnB near where we were planning on vacationing in the Shenandoah Valley, I leapt at the chance to rent it for a week, to serve as our homebase while we explored the hiking trails, historic sites […]
Holiday Cheer at Bull Run Festival of Lights
Brighten your holiday season with the magical 2.5 miles of illuminated light displays of the Bull Run Festival of Lights. Because of Covid 19, the annual fair and carnival at the end of the light displays is missing. Don’t let that dissuade you from visiting this holiday lights display — I do believe it’s one […]
Let Holiday Lights Displays Light Up Your Holiday Season!
If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the holidays, then check out some holiday lights in and around Maryland — whether drive through or walk through, holiday lights displays are a family-friendly holiday activity! Whether drive thru or on foot, this is a fun way to get some holiday cheer while letting your inner […]
On the Road to Revolution Following Patrick Henry
The Road to Revolution Heritage Trail links historic sites and institutions in Virginia that interpret the life of Patrick Henry, orator of the Revolution and Virginia’s first governor, as well as other important Virginians who made significant contributions to the American Revolution. I had the opportunity to visit four sites along the Road to Revolution […]
White Rock Falls Hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains
White Rock Falls Hike is a hidden gem of a hike: moderate, 2.5-mile out-and-back, that offers very pretty views, hidden grottos amongst the rhododendron, wading pools, and a series of small water cascades that collectively form White Rock Falls. It’s located in central Virginia south of Humpback Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile […]